diff --git a/src/vs/base/common/htmlContent.ts b/src/vs/base/common/htmlContent.ts
index e43e151ff76..37a897e689d 100644
--- a/src/vs/base/common/htmlContent.ts
+++ b/src/vs/base/common/htmlContent.ts
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ export function markdownStringEqual(a: IMarkdownString, b: IMarkdownString): boo
 
 export function escapeMarkdownSyntaxTokens(text: string): string {
 	// escape markdown syntax tokens: http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/syntax#backslash
-	return text.replace(/[\\`* _{ } [\]()# +\-!]/g, '\\$&');
+	return text.replace(/[\\`*_{}[\]()#+\-!]/g, '\\$&');
 }
 
 export function removeMarkdownEscapes(text: string): string {